Method and apparatus for packaging wieners and the like



Oct. 22, 1963 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING IWYIENERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M O E. 4% W 9 1 w Oct. 22, 1963 l. L. NELSON 3,107,470

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WIENERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ire/'- Z. /Ve/son ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1963 I. L. NELSON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WIENERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iver A. A/e/son ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1963 I l. NELSON 3,107,470

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WIENERS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR [new A /Ve/$o/7 ATTORNEY 3,107,470 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WIENERS AND THE LIKE Iver L. Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Co., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser- No. 91,040 10 Claims. (Cl. 53-377) This invention relates to an improvement in method and apparatus for packaging wieners and the like and deals particularly with a device for wrapping a paperboard band about a predetermined number of wieners or similar objects.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an apparatus capable of drawing a band into a pocket and folding the band into a channel shaped form. While in this position, the band travels along the length of the container and each band is filled with wieners, ejected from automatic machines or put into place by hand. The band is formed with a bottom panel, side wall panels hingedly connected to opposite edges of the bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to one side wall panel, and a closing flap hingedly connected to the top panel. The closing flap includes a locking tongue which is engageable in a slot in the opposite side wall to complete the closing operation.

A feature of the present invention resides in the manner in which the locking tabattached to the cover panel is prebroken with respect to the cover panel prior to the closing of the cover, thus simplifying the operation of locking the cover panel in closed position.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel means for swinging the cover into closed position. The cover is engaged by a rotatable wheel having radially extending fins thereon. This wheel swings the locking tab downwardly as the cover is folded down, and the locking tongue is guided down into a slot so that the band is partially locked.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus ior forcing the locking tab downwardly until the locking operation is completed.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification;

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, illustrating the feed mechanism, the intermediate conveyor on which the collars are loaded, and the closing mechanism in which the band is (folded into product encircling position, and locked.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the closing apparatus, the view showing the opposite side from that illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the closing apparatus, the position of the view being indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the entrance end of the closing apparatus, the position of the view being indicated by the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through a portion of the closing mechanism, the position of the section being indicated by the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view through a portion of the closing mechanism, the position of the section being indicated by the line 66 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view through a portion of the closing mechanism, the position of the section being indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing the parts in a diiferent position.

United States Patent 0 FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURES 7 and 8 showing a succeeding position of the various parts.

FIGURE 10 is a transverse sectional view through a portion of the closing mechanism, the position of the section being indicated by the line Ill-10 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal sectional View, the position of the section being indicated by the line 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view transversely through the apparatus, the position of the section being indicated by the line 1212 of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic view of the blank with which the apparatus operates.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 6.

The carton forming and folding apparatus is illustrated in general by the letter A and is designed to fold a band or blank best illustrated in FIGURE 13. This blank is shown as including a bottom panel 10 foldably connected along one side wall along the fold line 11 to a side wall 12. The opposite edge of the generally rectangular bottom panel l0 is connected along a fold line 13 to a second side wall 14-. The side wall 14 is connected along the fold line 15 to the top panel :16. The top panel =16 is foldably connected along the fold line 17 to a locking flap or locking tongue 19. The fold lines described are in parallel relation. The side wall panel 12 is provided with a slot 20 designed to accommodate a portion of the locking tongue 19, shoulders 21 of the locking tongue engaging inwardly oi the slot 20 to hold the carton or band in substantially rectangular relation.

Obviously the particular shape of the panels is unimportant. In the present instance, the top panel 16 is substantially narrower than the bottom panel in order to disclose the contents of the tolder. The band is designed to contain wienens or a similar product which form a generally rectangular block so that the closed package may be overwrapped with a transparent wrapper or the like.

The apparatus A is divided into three main units the first of which comprises a feed unit 22, the second of which comprises a conveyor section 23, and the last of which comprises a closing section 24-. It is the closing section of the apparatus with which the present invention is particularly concerned.

The (feed section 22 is not shown in detail, but discloses a generally rectangular body 25 having a table 26 at its upper end. A feed hopper 27 extends upwardly from the table 26 and is designed to contain a series of blanks or bands B in superimposed relation. A suction head 29 is vertically reciprocably supported by the frame 25 and is reciprocated in a vertical direction by the cam 30 rotatably supported on a shaft 31 extending transverse- 'ly of the "frame 25. The means for rotating the cam 30 is not specifically illustrated, but the drive means is connected to the drive shaft 32 extending longitudinally of the apparatus and indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. URE 1 to simplify the drawings.

A conveyor 33 extends throughout the length of the three sections, the conveyor being supported at the inlet end by suitable sprockets 34. The other end of the conveyor 33 is supported in the closing unit 24 by aligned sprockets 35. In view of the fact that the lower or return flight oi the conveyor 33 has a tendency to sag intermediate its ends, the conveyor chains are supported by idler sprockets 36 which have peripheral notches in order to accommodate the conveyor chain lugs which will be described.

The upper flight of the conveyor 33 is supported as best illustrated in FIGURE 14 of the drawings. The conveyor includes spaced conveyor chains 37 which ride This drive mechanism has been omitted from FIG- 3 upon supporting rails 39 held in spaced relation by a spacer bar 40. Spacer bars 41 spaces the rails 39 from outer rails 42 which extend above the level of the chains 37 and act as a. support for the bottom panels of the wrappers B. At intervals throughout the length of the conveyor chain, lugs 43 are connected to the sides of the chains 37 by straps 44. As best illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings, the lugs 43 have upwardly and slightly forwardly inclined rear surface 45 which terminates in a rounded upper extremity 46. The forward face of each lug is forwardly and downward-1y inclined as indicated at 47 terminating in a projection 49 which overlies an undercut portion 50. As is indicated in the drawings, the side wall 12 of each folder lies against the undercut portion 50 of the lugs, the projections 49 flexing the portions of the side wall above the slot 26 inward- 1y or forwardly. In other words, the lugs 43 act to open the slots by flexing inwardly the portion of the side wall 12 between the short parallel slits 51 communicat ing with the transverse slot 20.

In the operation of the feed portion of the apparatus A, the suction heads 29 are forced upwardly by the cam into engagement with the lowermost blank in the hopper 27, and pull the lowermost blank outwardly past supporting projections into :the pockets formed by the spaced lugs 43 on the chains 37. During this operation, the side wall 12 is folded upwardly due to engagement with the forward inclined surfaces 47 of the lugs 43 while the side wall 14, together with the top wall 16 and locking tongue 19 are held at an upwardly inclined angle by the surface 45 of the next forward lug. The angle of the surface 45 is suflicient so that the folders tend to remain in the pockets. However, to insure the retention of the folders in the pockets, opposed side rails 52 having opposed projecting flanged edges 53 are provided which engage the marginal edges 54 of the bottom panel 10. It will be noted that the edges 54 project somewhat beyond the side walls 12 and '14 so that these edges may be engaged by the flanges 53 immediately after the folders have been drawn into the pockets upon further movement of the conveyor chains. The guide plates 52 are supported by suitable brackets such as 55 spaced throughout the length of the apparatus.

The intermediate portion of the apparatus A comprises merely a continuation of the conveyor. The folders are held in spaced relation in the pocket with the side panel 14, top panel 16 and locking flaps 19 forming the leading edge of the folder. The wieners or similar objects are fed into the pockets either mechanically, by hand, or a combined mechanical and hand operation.

As the folders B enter the closing section '24, the locking tongues or flaps 19 are prebroken into substantially right angular relation to the top panels 16 by the portion of the apparatus best illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings. The generally rectangular frame 59 of the folding device includes a pair of transversely opposed uprights 60 which support bearings 61 and 62 which support a pair of shafts '63 and 64 in parallel relation at right angles to the direction of travel of the conveyor 33. The shafts 63 and 64 each support a pair of sprockets, those of the shaft 63 being identified by the numeral 65, and those on the shaft 64 being identified by the numeral 66. The sprockets on the two shafts are aligned and support a pair of spaced conveyor chains 67 which are connected by spaced transverse folding bars 69. The bars 69 are timed relative to the conveyor 33 so that each bar follows the top panel 16 of the carton B.

A transverse support 70 extends between the uprights 60 between the sprockets 6'5 and 66 and acts to support a folding plate 71 which is aligned with the direction of travel of the folder B and which is spaced slightly above the folding bars 69 as they travel along the lower flight of the conveyor. The folding plate 71 engages the locking flap 19 and folds this flap into right angular relation with the top panel 16 as the flap travels between the folding plate 71 and the folding arms 69 on the conveyor chain 67. The member 69 and 71 combine to fold the flap into the position best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. The speed of the conveyor 67 is so related to the speed of the conveyor 33 that the flap 69 may be disengaged from the folding bars 69 prior to the time the conveyor chains 67 start their upward movement around the sprockets 65.

In other words, the folding bars 69 are spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the distance between adjacent cartons carried by the conveyor 33 and the chains 67 travel at a somewhat slower speed to permit this disengagement.

After the flap 19 has been prebroken in the manner described, the conveyor 33 carries the folders B beneath a folding wheel 73 best illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 9 of the drawings. A pair of bearings 74 and 75 support a transverse shaft 76 on a horizontal plane normal to the direction of movement of the conveyor 33. The bearing 74 is mounted upon one of the brackets 55 while the bearing 75 is mounted upon a frame upright 77 on one side of the frame 59. The wheel 73 is provided with a series of radially extending blades 79 which rotate with the wheel 73 in timed relation to the conveyor 33. The wheel 73 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, and the rotation of the wheel brings one blade 79 against the flap 19 as the conveyor 33 moves to the left from the position shown in FIGURE 7. Continued rotation of the wheel 73 causes the blade 79 which engages the flap 19 to fold the cover panel 16 downwardly as indicated in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. The blade 79 engages the flap 19 when the blade is in a substantially horizontal position as shown in FIGURE 7. When the wheel 73 has rotated approximately 45 degrees, the cover panel 16 has been bent relative to the adjacent side wall panel 14 to an acute angle to the side wall 14. As the wheel 73 continues to rotate and the conveyor 33 continues to move the folder, the blade 79 forces the flap 19 between the upper portion of the folder wall 12 and the forwardly inclined surface 47 of the lug 43 as indicated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. When the blade 79 reaches the position shown in FIGURE 9, the locking flap 19 has been guided by the lug 47 into the slot 20 of the carton folder B.

Continued travel of the folder B directs the folder beneath a pair of spaced folding blades which are shown in dotted outline at 80 in FIGURES 8 and 9 of the drawings and which is shown in full lines in FIGURE 11. The folding blade 80 has an inclined under surface which tends to hold the top panel 16 downwardly and to further fold the panel .16 until the corner of the folder at the juncture between the top panel 16 and the locking flap 19 engage the horizontal lower surface 82 of the folding blade 80. These folding blades 80 are adjustably supported on a transverse support 83 extending between the frame sides.

FIGURES l1 and 12 of the drawings show the final stage of the closing operation. The frame 59 of the apparatus is provided on opposite sides of the conveyor 33, a pair of uprights 83 which support aligned bearings 84. A shaft 85 is rotatably supported in the bearings 84, and the shaft supports a pair of spaced earns 86.

A cross member 87 extends between the uprights 83 beneath the shaft 85 and spaced sufficiently above the conveyor 33 to permit the product to pass beneath the same. A supporting block 89 supports a pair of spaced vertical bushings 90 which support a pair of push rods 91. The bifurcated upper ends 92 of the pusher arms 91 support a pair of cam rollers 93 which are urged against the cam 86 by springs 94 which encircle the upper portions of the push rods. A pair of spaced fingers 95 are mounted upon the lower ends of the push rods 91 for movement therewith. As the cams rotate, the fingers 95 are reciprocated downwardly just as the trailing edge of the folders or collars B pass beneath the same, and contact the trailing edge of the cover panel 16 adjoining its junction with the locking tongue 19. These fingers assist in forcing the locks into locking position. In view of the fact that the product is not always entirely even in form, the downward pressure on the top panel at the point described causes a positive engagement of the locking tongue and the locking slot even though the cover panel is slightly bowed in form.

As is indicated in FIGURE 11 of the drawings, a second set of tucking fingers 96 are mounted upon push rods 97 actuated by cams 99 on the shaft 100 which is parallel to the shaft 85. The fingers 96 are properly timed to engage the same area of the carton -B as the fingers 95.

The shafts 85 and 100 are connected for movement in unison by gears 18 1, one of which is illustrated in FIG- URE 12 of the drawings. The shaft 85 is provided with a sprocket 102 which is in mesh with a gear 103 on a stub shaft 104 supported by one of the uprights 83. A sprocket 105 is rotatable with the gear 103 and acts to drive the same.

The general arrangement of the drive mechanism is perhaps best illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The motor 166 is mounted upon the frame 105 and is provided with a sprocket 107 connected by a chain 109 to a gear box 110. The gear box 110 is provided with a shaft 111 connected by a universal joint 112 to the tubular connector 32 which acts to drive the fed mechanism. A gear 113 on the shaft 114 of the gear box 11-0 drives an idle gear 116 which in turn drives the drive gear 117. The shaft 119 which supports the gear 117 is provided with a pair of sprockets 120 one of which is connected by a chain 121 to the sprocket 165 which actuates the finger reciprocating mechanism. The other sprocket 120 is connected by a chain 122 to a sprocket 123 mounted on a stub shaft 124 (see FIGURE 6) and the stub shaft rotates the gear 125 which acts through the meshing gear 126 to rotate the shaft 76 which has been previously described. A chain 127 connects the shaft 76 with a sprocket 129 on the shaft 63, which, as has been noted in FIGURE of the drawings is chain connected with the shaft 64.

As is shown in FIGURE 1 in general, the apparatus is provided with a product rejecting element 130 which merely acts to reject the various cartons which are not properly closed by the line. This structure is not shown in detail.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in method and apparatus for packaging Wieners, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A band closer for locking a band around a product, the band including a bottom panel, two side wall panels connected to opposite edges of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to one side wall panel, and a locking tongue on said top panel engageable in a slot in the other side wall panel, the closer including conveying means for conveying said band with the bottom panel substantially horizontal and the remainder of the band extending upwardly therefrom, means for prebreaking said locking tongue relative to said top panel, means for folding said top panel downwardly while holding said locking tongue in angular relation to said top panel, and means for guiding said locking tongue into engagement with the slot in said other side wall.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including vertically movable supplemental compression means engaging said top panel adjacent said locking tongue to force the locking tongue further into said slot.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said means for folding said top panel includes a roller having folding 6 blades extending outwardly therefrom rotatably supported on a transverse horizontal axis above said conveying means, said folding blades engaging said locking tongues and holding said tongues in angular relation to said top panel while folding the top panel downwardly.

4. A band closer for locking a band around a product, the band including a bottom panel, two side wall panels connected to opposite edges of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to one side wall panel, and a locking tongue on said top panel engageable in a slot in the other side wall panel, the closer including conveying means for conveying said band with the bottom panel substantially horizontal and the remainder of the band extending upwardly therefrom, a rotatable member supported on a transverse axis above said conveying means, said rotatable member having an outwardly projecting blade engageable with the :locking tongue to hold said locking tongue at substantially right angles to said top panel, means rotating .the rotatable member as the band moves therebeneath to fold the top panel downwardly while holding the locking tongue in angular relation to said top panel, and means guiding the locking tongue into the slot.

5. The structure of claim 4 and including means for prebreaking the locking tongue into angular relation with said top panel prior to the engagement of the tongue by said blade.

6. The structure of claim 4 and in which the rotatable member includes a plurality of angularly spaced blades.

7. A band closer for locking a band around a product, the band including a bottom panel, two side wall panels connected to opposite edges of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to one side wall panel, and a locking tongue on said top panel engageable in a slot in the other side wall panel, the closer including conveying means for conveying said band with the bottom panel substantially horizontal and the remainder of the band extending upwardly therefrom, an endless member above said conveying means and movable parallel thereto, means carried by said endless member and engageable with said top panel, and abutment means engageable with said locking tongue while said upwardly extending top panel is in engagement with said means carried by said endless member to fold said locking tongue about said means carried by said endless means into angular relation with said top panel.

8. The structure of claim 7 and in which said endless member comprises a pair of spaced chains.

'9. A band closer for locking a band around a product, the band including a bottom panel, two side wall panels connected to opposite edges of said bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to one side wall panel, and a locking tongue on said top panel engageable in a slot n the other side wall panel, the closer including conveymg means for conveying said band with the bottom panel substantially horizontal and the remainder of the band extending upwardly therefrom, a pair of shafts supported above said conveyor and extending transversely thereof, a pair spaced parallel sprockets on each said shaft, a pair of parallel chains supported by said sprockets with the lower reaches of said chains extending substantially parallel to said conveyor and multiple in the same direction as said conveyor, spaced bars connecting said chains and movable therewith, said bars being engageable with the top panels of said bands adjacent the lines of fold connecting said top panels and said locking tongues, an abutment supported above the lower reaches of said chains and in the path of the locking tongues of said bands moving on said conveyor to fold said locking tongues into angular relation to said top panels while said bars provide a fulcrum, means for subsequently folding said top panels into parallel relation to said bottom panel, and means for inserting said locking tongue into said slot.

10. The structure of claim 9 and in which said means for subsequently folding said top panels comprises a roy References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Boyce Nov. 24, 1953 Ken: Mar. 8, 1960 

1. A BAND CLOSER FOR LOCKING A BAND AROUND A PRODUCT, THE BAND INCLUDING A BOTTOM PANEL, TWO SIDE WALL PANELS CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, A TOP PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO ONE SIDE WALL PANEL, AND A LOCKING TONGUE ON SAID TOP PANEL ENGAGEABLE IN A SLOT IN THE OTHER SIDE WALL PANEL, THE CLOSER INCLUDING CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID BAND WITH THE BOTTOM PANEL SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZOTNAL AND THE REMAINDER OF THE BAND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, MEANS FOR PREBREAKING SAID LOCKING TONGUE RELATIVE TO SAID TOP PANEL, MEANS FOR FOLDING SAID TOP PANEL DOWNWARDLY WHILE HOLDING SAID LOCKING TONGUE IN ANGULAR RELATION TO SAID TOP PANEL, AND MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID LOCKING TONGUE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SLOT IN SAID OTHER SIDE WALL. 